The History Of Home Monitoring Systems

By Author: Leola Huffman
Total Articles: 35
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Learning from History: The Importance of Home Security

Throughout history, humans have attempted to establish alarm systems to guard properties and communities from invasions and natural calamities. Early, unsophisticated systems began with the use of drumbeats and horns to warn the community against an impending problem. As time passed, systems constantly improved using smoke signals and colored flares to distinguish between varying warning alarms.

History
The origins of the home monitoring industry of the 21st century date back in the late 18th century and mid 19th century. With the invention of the battery in 1799 and the telegraph in 1841, the major innovations that led to the origins of modern home security alarms came to be. The earliest fire alarm systems known today were created by Dr. William Channing shortly after the invention of the telegraph. The first home monitoring system was developed around the same time by a liberal religious minister named Augustus Pope.

Home Security Cameras
As electrical circuits became ...
... more and more sophisticated since it was created in the mid 19th century by electrician Moses Farmer, its use in the operation of security cameras for home became more prominent. Electrical circuits were first used as relay mechanisms to ring the bells that sound a security alarm. Initial home monitoring systems consisted of an electrical circuit that runs around a door or window frame that makes a sound when the door or window was opened. The trouble with these early alarms was that when an unwelcome guest entered the home and closed the door or window, the alarm would stop ringing. However, with the development of digital technology in the 1970’s, electrical mechanisms were not only used for home alarm systems but also for security surveillance systems. By that time, security surveillance systems became much more user-friendly and more affordable.

Local Alarms
Most of the earlier home security alarms were uncomplicated and would ring an alarm that would be responded to by a person within proximity. However, since these alarms needed people nearby to respond to the emergency situation, a lot of problems arose. What made it worse is the fact that a high number of false alarms went on causing the general public to begin disregarding legitimate local alarms.

Home Monitoring
The plan of a monitoring system used to keep track of fire and burglar alarms was first introduced in 1871 by E.A. Calahan. These monitoring systems in a central office were designed to allow a faster response to general alarms than a local alarm and are still used at the dawn of the 21st Century. The cost of alarms was drastically reduced by the development of wireless camera security systems and wireless lighting which allow more than one alarm to be monitored remotely.

Development
The development of home alarm systems remained the same until the mid 20th century when digital technology made big improvements on home security. Currently, these improvements include the linkage between a home theater system and anti-burglary alarms.